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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Settings: Part 11

I've noticed several larger-than-usual film crews around town in the last few days ... which, of course, got me thinking about my favorite game. If this were the setting of a scene in a film, what would happen here? No need to be quiet on this set. Let's have some action!

21 comments:

I think it's later in the day, and a bit darker. Two young boys walk by. They see the protected windows and decide to break in. They work hard, one at the time, the other keeping an eye on the street. Finally they manage to get the door open, but before they walk in, they can hear someone on the inside and so they run away. And then out walks a sleepy cat.

It's a rare brick building in New Mexico. Inside, a plump woman is scooping up ice cream. She's humming. An old Chevrolet 4 door sedan is off to the right, about to pull into the parking space. Geez, that's just boring and no one would want to go see that movie. I'm curious what others will create for this beautifully composed and colored scene. :~)

The music is tense and foreboding. Slowly, the door opens and out steps an NFL Referee dressed in an official white cap, black shoes, black and white socks, white knee-length pants, whistle around his neck on a lanyard, and of course the Zebra black-and-white stripped jersey that exactly matches the awning above the door. He walks into the parking lot and looks around. Gradually other NFL officials, similarly dressed, emerge from the doorway, until there's a crew of six having an intense discussion. Music with a strong beat now begins to be heard. The NFL officials begin to dance, ever so gradually. Soon other NFL officials join in and everyone is dancing in a choreographed pattern. The camera pulls back. The street is filled with NFL officials, all dancing in the same pattern. The camera pulls back again into an aerial shot showing NFL officials filling the surrounding streets, all dancing to the same choreography. The music becomes louder. Soon all the streets of South Pasadena are filled with dancing NFL officials.

I'm fascinated by Mr. Earl's scenario...and wondering what the main plot of the movie would be?

As for me, I visualized an Irish Catholic priest (picture Barry Fitzgerald), a group of street thug boys (picture Mickey Rooney), and of course, Bing Crosby!!! The boys have just gotten into trouble with Barry Fitzgerald and Bing is there to soften the blow and lead the boys in song...

Or...maybe a murder, in shadow...you don't see the characters, only the shadows.... with sinister music...and where's that old car that's supposed to be there???

It's overcast and the music is carnival like but sinister. The scene is inblack and white. Suddenly, multi coloredballoons start to come out of the light fixture above the awning. A group of children come fromstage left, they're looking up into the sky in wonderment at the balloons pouring from the light.They creep closer to the door as if drawn bysome magnetic field. Then it happens, pardon the pun, something starts to move in the slated window above the door. First a white gloved hand, then a big red shoe, a leg and then suddenly the brick starts to bulge, then suddenly the screen is filled with an ugly clowns head. Carrot top hair, fang like teeth, a large red nose and evil eyes. The carnival music gets louder and more sinister. The screen goes black. Then the sounds of screaming children, frightened and horrified. Then nothing.

Could have been a scene from the movie based on Steven Kings Novel "It".

Through the magic of digital photography;Willy Nelson and Toby Keith appear out of a mist.Sitting in big wooden chairs tipped back against thebrick. They're singing "Beer for my Horses".The music fades to the background and Miss Kitty and marshal Dillon come strolling by followed by Festus and Doc arguing about who pays for the beer. Fade to a Budweiser commercial.

This is the back door of the jailhouse in Mayberry. Sheriff Andy has his office on the other side of the door on the left, and the door on the right is the jail cell. The striped awning was Gomer Pyle's idea. He figured it would save money to use striped canvas instead of bars for the cell because the drunks in Mayberry were too dumb to know it was only cloth. Andy pointed out to Gomer that they would probably get curious if they couldn't see between the bars. So, he used the material for an awning.

Andy, Gomer, and Floyd the Barber are inside waiting for Barney Fife to return from a quick trip to p;ick up some catfish burgers for lunch. Barney's overdue, and Andy's getting worried that he got lost, or worse. He says, "Hey Gomer, whaddya think happened to Barne?" Gomer replied, "Shazaam, Andy, ah don know. Maybe we oughta send Floyd for some pizza."

DBDub: Have you ever been to Mt. Airy, North Carolina? It's the boyhood home of Andy Griffith and many of the shops in Mayberry are real shops in downtown Mt. Airy. They even have a few of the old Ford police cars with Mayberry markings, one of which is permanently parked in front of the police station / jail. A lot of the town looks much like Laurie's photo.

I went there a few years ago, not knowing that it was anything but a small town on the Virginia border. What a surprise! I stayed at the Aunt Bea motel, where they had a room made up like her's on display, and of course, another one of those 1964 Ford police cars out front.

I can't get over Mr. E's dancing extravaganza, but all of these scenarios are fantastic. I will never be able to look at this door again without thinking of everything from murder to Andy Griffeth, giant clowns to Twyla Tharp.

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In December of 2007, after many years on the west side of Los Angeles (and at least a third of those years spent stuck in traffic on Pico Boulevard) my family settled into a happy little house in South Pasadena. This daily blog covered almost 5 years as I put down roots in my new home town -- and almost 5 more as I settled in and became a South Pas old-timer. While I don't always blog daily, I add new posts every week.

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